Rebellion releases free rulebook for Ian Livingstone’s Judge Dredd board game

Tabletop gamers can now download the rules for Ian Livingstone‘s classic Judge Dredd: The Game of Crime-Fighting in Mega-City One for free.

Rebellion Unplugged, the tabletop division of the company that owns 2000 AD, has released the full rulebook as a digital download on DriveThruRPG. While the board game itself has been available since its polished re-release, this digital offering gives prospective Judges a chance to inspect the mechanics before committing to the physical box.

The Law, As Written

The game, originally designed by Games Workshop co-founder Sir Ian Livingstone in 1982, tasks players with patrolling the dangerous streets of Mega-City One. The core objective remains true to the comics: arrest perps, dispense justice, and avoid ending up in the infirmary.

This modern edition updates the graphic design and artwork while preserving the “classic” feel that fans of the 80s original will recognise. The new rulebook clarifies that while the core mechanics, using action cards to move, fight, and arrest, remain largely the same, this edition introduces the “Wally Squad”. These undercover Judges offer an alternative playstyle, allowing players to move past perps without being stopped, adding a layer of tactical depth to the original “move and arrest” loop.

A key feature of the game, highlighted in gameplay sessions, is its speed. It is described as “light enough and fast enough” to serve as a pickup game, potentially filling the gap while waiting for a full TTRPG group to assemble.

Try Before You Buy

The release of the free PDF allows players to scrutinise the changes made in this edition. For those familiar with Livingstone’s work, best known for the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, the design pedigree is a significant draw. The game uses a sector-based movement system and a card-driven economy where resource management (your hand of cards) is just as important as your die rolls.

For those who like what they read in the PDF, the physical game is available directly from Rebellion. It includes the board, cards, tokens, and the 6 sculpted Judge miniatures required to bring the law to the table.

• Download the rules: DriveThruRPG
• Buy the board game: Rebellion Shop

A Legend’s Legacy

Sir Ian Livingstone is a titan in the British gaming industry. As the co-founder of Games Workshop and the co-creator of Fighting Fantasy, his influence on the hobby is difficult to overstate. Judge Dredd: The Game of Crime-Fighting in Mega-City One represents a specific era of British board game design, theft, blocking, and “take that” mechanics are often prominent, and this reprint serves as both a playable game and a piece of history.

Rebellion Unplugged has been steadily expanding its catalogue by leveraging its access to 2000 AD’s intellectual properties. In addition to Judge Dredd, they have acquired the rights to Tunnels & Trolls, the second-oldest roleplaying game in existence, signalling a clear intent to preserve and revitalise classic gaming experiences.